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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 1, 2024 18:25:44 GMT -5
Having concluded the ordeal in the more general part of the city and aiding as he could in its recovery, Turjin was off to address the business of his real purpose in the city: Libraries. While many were bemoaning the loss of life, wealth, and peace, Turjin was mentally preoccupied with the loss of knowledge. Some ancient tomes, most certainly, were already lost in the disaster, but right now there was a running timer to rescue knowledge that was kept only here in Darkveil.
Unable to run, Turjin walked as a brisk pace in an automaton sort of way, cane rattling as it clattered on the roadway pavements. With a disgruntled avian squawk, he stepped to the side to find some sturdy half-wall perch or bench he could rest on. After setting, he set about tightening the adjustments on his cane. Most canes were adjustable to fit the person's needs, but this caused them to come loose after significant use over time. Canes that were built for a specific person typically required a specialized person working a specialized commission, and thereby very expensive. It was an expense that Turjin hadn't forked out yet.
Nor had it seem he paid any tailor to either replace to repair his threat bear jacket's cuffs, or replace the peeling leather on the front of his shoes. Either Turjin was not as well off as his clothing might first give the impression, or he was incredibly frugal. Of course, it could just very well be he was a bird brained academic that neglected personal care for the love of spending time learning. Regardless of his disheveled apparel's state, the bird himself was well preened and his feathers (though bright coloration starting to dull and thin with age) shined.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 1, 2024 18:43:22 GMT -5
Tatalia was on a supply run, quietly doing some mental gymnastics to calculate how much spending money she'd actually have by the end of the day.
Money had been a little bit tight ever since the goblin had found her way out of the Spider's Canopy. Her year long disappearance had cost her a great deal of her savings, and a couple of the stashes she kept back in Gaz- no, Lilicors Village were found and looted by others long since. As such, she found herself having to be very careful with the spending of her money on her trip, and bringing along a second person didn't exactly make those expenses any less. To say that Tatalia had been tempted to employ the five-fingered discount once or twice would be an understatement. Still, she kept control of her own grabby desires... mostly.
At that moment, Tatalia had just finished buying some dried rations for the next leg of the trip she and Elvira were taking, but she needed to find a local map. She'd never been to the Ash Lands before, not really, so she needed to brush up on her knowledge of the area. Where better to get that information from than from a library? Ah, if only she could find one!
But while she was having trouble finding a library as she walked the dusty streets of Darkveil, Tatalia did find something just as exciting: a feathery fellow in weathered finery that was fussing with his cane. The goblin couldn't help but smile, and she jogged towards the unsuspecting man, her footsteps not even making a sound as she crept up onto the porch behind him.
"Having trouble there, O crotchety one?" the goblin asked from behind the avian, quietly hoping she'd given him just the slightest bit of spooking. "I don't suppose I could help?"
The little person was actually dressed in even less fine clothes than the man. She was wrapped up in more than one jacket and had multiple scarves and sashes about her person. Indeed, she looked almost like a mummy, so bound up was she in gray and brown clothes, and she wore surprisingly fine gloves on her hands. Notably, not a single bit of her skin was visible. That was, of course, quite intentional; Tatalia didn't exactly want to advertise to the world that she was a goblin.
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 1, 2024 19:25:20 GMT -5
The bird did have a small start, but not enough to freeze or have a nerve pull. The bird turned to look at the creature, openly smirking in approval. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the creature without putting on his glasses.
"Well, you're an absolute little imp, aren't you?" He chuckled and fussed a bit more with his cane. "Oh, no, no, it's just one little widget here--" he showed her the cane and pointed out the specific part as he tightened it. "Just the one twist. It's more a pain just checking everything over to make sure nothing else rattles. You'd be surprised how complicated what a simple stick can be." He tapped the cane on the ground a couple times, and sure enough, not a sound was made. He rolled his shoulder, letting it pop and crack, followed by his neck much the same. "Thank you for your concern, though. That's very kind of you."
For a moment, he looked forward, as if to rise to his feet and head on, but his shoulders deflated a bit like a balloon as he hesitated. Fingers rapped against his cane in a brief thought before turning his attention back to the little goblin. Maybe those books could wait juuust a couple more minutes.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 2, 2024 0:49:31 GMT -5
Tatalia couldn't help but wince just a teensy bit at the sound of his shoulder popping and cracking. It wasn't an unusual noise, but... She couldn't help but look over the avian fellow and come to the conclusion that he didn't seem that old. The usual signs just weren't there, though perhaps bird people showed their age in different ways than humans and goblins. Yet the bird needed a cane to walk and he seemed sort of... fragile but stubborn? Tatalia really had to wonder what sort of life he had led.
Nevertheless, it wasn't really her place to ask prying questions. She barely knew the fellow, after all.
"Care for some soup?" the goblin asked, setting her backpack down and reaching inside. "I have a little extra that's still warm, and I think we've both earned a little break. I'd normally share with Elvira, but I think she's busy having a chat with the other woman... what was her name?" Tatalia furrowed her brow, trying to remember. "Did I ever ask for her name? Wait- did I forget to tell mine?"
Realizing how awfully rude she was, the goblin let go of her backpack immediately, standing up as her open bag hit the porch with a smack! As several of her things spilled out, Tatalia bowed to the avian man and pretended she hadn't just made a small mess she'd have to pick up a few seconds later. Thankfully, if she did have soup or other liquids somewhere in her backpack, none of that spilled forth. That was good news, at least.
"I am Tatalia, explorer extraordinaire! And I'm normally a bit better dressed," she added offhandedly, "but circumstance demands I bundle up. I blame the weather!
"And who are you, if I may ask? And would I be wrong if I thought you were some manner of physician?" the goblin asked curiously as she gathered her spilled things.
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 2, 2024 8:56:45 GMT -5
The bird instinctively leaned away as the goblin made a small clumsy mess in an almost Zen fashion. Again, the bird seemed ceaselessly amused by this. He was slightly surprised in himself that he still had that small instinct, as it was his poor clumsy wife he had to always be careful of in the kitchen, or when food was ever involved. That was the second time this little creature had reminded him of his history.
"If it is you that is offering, I'll chance some soup. As for the crow... I don't think I caught her name either. I don't think she's in the habit of introductions. Bit wild, that one. Surprised she decided to reach the city considering her nature. Then again, maybe it's a cry for help. I hope she finds it."
Turjin rested his back fully against his perch and let his muscles relax, taking a moment to take a deep breath of the local 'fresh air', which wasn't terribly fresh, but it didn't seem to bother Turjin. He rested with his eyes closed for a moment, head sinking into his shoulders as if he were melting into a nap.
"Physician? No, no, no. Nothing of the sort. I dabble in my own medicines for my condition, and the very basics of alchemy, but that's about the extent of it. I was off put by doctors and their availability hours, where as my condition is constant. I took up self medicating and learned from there. Though, I still make sure to get second opinions from more experienced professionals." That was, perhaps, a half truth. He had started learning medicine prior, desperate to save his wife, but he never learned anything that the doctors didn't already know. This painful thought made him furrow his brow. It was not his genuine desire to lie, but he had no desire to reflect on the awfulness circumstances of him learning alchemy. Still, his reflective mind lead him there, and he became a bit quiet.
He cleared his throat, opened his eyes, and straightened up. It was rude to be so pensive, and he was keen to give the goblin his full attention.
"So, an explorer? Adventure, and all that. A difficult and rarely appreciated occupation. Why do you do it?"
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 2, 2024 17:24:58 GMT -5
Turjin may not have known it, but by asking that specific question, he unleashed Tatalia's inner beast. He unleashed the rampant historian.
"Why do I do it? Oh, where do I even begin?" the goblin replied, her eyes practically twinkling behind those rose-colored goggles she wore. The bundled up little explorer extraordinaire wasted no time preparing herself to give a speech, forgetting all about the soup she had offered a moment ago and instead grabbing a jar from her belt! She dumped its contents onto the porch and shaped it by hand and will into a stepping stool... and then, of course, stood on the stepping stool.
Yes, Tatalia kept a portable block of magical goop, and she used it solely to make herself taller when giving an impassioned speech.1
"History, my feathered friend, history is my drive to explore the whole of Charon!" the goblin began, snapping her fingers to cast a minor spell so that some illusory sparkles appeared around her as she spoke.2 How inspiring! The little goblin brought her fist to her chest and looked skyward as she spoke.
"So much that has happened in our continent's past has been long forgotten. Yes, we have a general idea of what might have happened during the Age of Wonders, but we know not the specifics! And we were deceived as to the nature of the period we call the Collapse, so revealed by adventuring heroes and the one they call Scern! And so long as our history is kept in shadows, so long as uncomfortable truths are left buried, we cannot understand the full scope of our world's story! We can never grasp the nature of the relations between the various peoples of Charon, of how different cultures developed, nor can the Sun Elves be held accountable for their expansionism!
"That is why I am an adventurer," the goblin finished, thrusting her fist away from her and throwing her now open palm skyward. "I will reveal the truth of our world's history, and in doing so free us from the oppressive fabrications told to us by the upper crust! Through history shall we throw off the shackles of noble tyranny! And to do that, I will search every ruin, tomb, and face any gloom if there's even the most minute of possibilities that doing so will bring about knowledge to educate us all!"
The goblin stood there proudly for a moment, her chest puffed out, her grin palpable despite being hidden beneath a scarf. It became actually visible a moment later when a gust of wind threw her scarf off her face entirely, revealing the green skin underneath.
Quickly, the goblin caught the offending scarf and wrapped it back around her face before anyone besides the avian could see what she really was.
"Erm. You saw nothing, yes?" Tatalia asked meekly, clearing her throat and stepping down from the step stool. She finally reached into her backpack and retrieved a brown bottle that apparently was where she kept the soup. She offered it to the avian along with a spoon. "Of course you saw nothing!"
1. Shaping Putty; 2. Minor Trickery
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 2, 2024 21:56:10 GMT -5
The bird was a bit surprised at the creature's sudden burst of enthusiasm, glad he had asked the right question. As she gave her speech, he rested his cane on the ground and placed both hands on the handle. Then, he rested his head upon his folded hands and gave her his fullest attention. He was more than amused at her enthusiasm and little tricks, completely enraptured by her performance. When she finally lost a little composure from wardrobe malfunction, he chortled in his birdy whistling fashion. "Didn't see anything at all."
He settled back up, rectifying his back. "History, hm?" He rolled his shoulder once more, a pained expression on his face. "I too am quite enthused by history, though perhaps for different reasons. I'm more enamored with the present. History provides great lessons as how to steer the present, when honest and truthful. It is a bit disappointing, though. I find that the oral traditions of the nomadic tribes seem to be more reliable than the written texts of civilization."
At this, he paused to examine the creature's reaction with another judgmental look. Very often, the oral traditions were the first things to be discredited and thrown out by traditional academics. While he didn't expect the goblin was of that nature, he was still curious as to what she may think. "I was born to a nomadic tribe. Spent my early all the way to my early adulthood until moving to the cities." He tapped his cane on the ground and gave a perturbed groan at the thought of reading more useless texts as he thirsted for real knowledge. "I came here to search the libraries and whatever other books I can find, but I suspect I'll be disappointed. I feel like I'm like a thirsty man searching for water, surrounded by bottles full of sand."
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 2, 2024 23:48:40 GMT -5
"Ah, oral history! A powerful method of record keeping indeed," Tatalia mused, letting out a contented sigh. She was very glad to have a fellow history enthusiast to share her thoughts with. "It's not for its accuracy of events that I admire it so," she noted with an eager tone, "but for its accuracy of belief, of tradition, of culture, and of a people's values!
"Oral traditions give us an entirely different lens from which to view history. They change over time," Tatalia mused, "but it's not as if written works wield immutable truth, themselves! And due to their nature, oral retellings of history tell us so much about a group of people and even, perhaps, how their views have changed over time! And for a story to be retold so many times, to be memorized and adapted... well, you know it must be something truly important to those that share it!"
The goblin paused. She realized very suddenly that perhaps she was sounding... overeager? That perhaps she was explaining someone else's traditions to them? It made her feel very self conscious. Her tribe had always used oral traditions of story telling, but she- well, she had been separated from her folk for so long that could no longer claim to be a part of that culture. She had been inducted into another, even if it was at times hostile to her.
Tatalia cleared her throat and adjusted her goggles. She suddenly looked a lot more sheepish.
"I... apologize profusely for rambling so," she murmured, glancing over at the avian. "I must sound like an ivory tower academic or some self-important highborn dandy. Please, forgive me for my outburst."
After a brief, awkward silence, the goblin gathered her composure once again and sat on down beside the bird man, glancing up at him with as serious an expression as could be seen behind two scarves and a pair of goggles.
"The truth is, I don't exactly trust most written records of history," Tatalia admitted, her brow knitting itself together into one frustrated caterpillar. "I have seen plenty of evidence to suggest that concerted propaganda, censorship, and revision efforts have been employed through Charon's history to obfuscate the exact events that occurred in the past. Perhaps this was because of the events of the Collapse," the scholarly goblin mused, staring toward the distant sky, "or perhaps this was because of the Sun Kings of yore wanting to legitimize their conquests. I daresay it's probably a little of column A and a little of column B. Nevertheless, the end result is that it's unlikely the knowledge kept in a library will wholly satisfy your thirst for the truth.
"No. No, if you truly wish to whet your academic appetite, then you must piece together a puzzle." The little explorer peered back over at her somewhat older compatriot once again, leaning backward and using her hands to sit herself up at an angle on the porch. "You must combine what you know, what others wish to tell you, what they aren't telling you, and what can only be found in the ruins and lost places of the world to read between the lines and form a more complete picture, one that better approaches the truth than before."
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 3, 2024 0:08:46 GMT -5
Turjin smiled brightly in approval at the goblin's observations, until she apologized. At that, the macaw hawed and slapped his knee. "Not at all! I am enjoying your 'rambling'. There's a great deal of wisdom and insight to them, if people are observant enough to catch it. And, I agree. Oral traditions may not get the exact name, date, or other such things exactly right, but it much more appropriately conveys the spirit of the history lesson. Which, I find, is much, much, much more important for guiding our actions appropriately."
At the topic of untrust worthy history, he took in a deep breath and sighed again. The bird looked forward at nothing particular, as if staring through the buildings and of the city and into the horizon. "I... am very critical of the records... But, not of those who wrote them. I... recall... an instance where..." He paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes and trying to choose his words carefully.
"There was... a religious text, written in a sacred language. Then, there was religious reformation that ultimately was a disapproval of a corrupt priesthood. A King, who was a very good, very devout, and very honest man, was true believer in this reformation, so... He translated, painstakingly, the religious text into plain language so that all persons could read it. However, once it was popularly disseminated through the Kingdom, people began to read it... and misinterpret it. The religious text was a compendium of histories and opinions through out thousands of years and dozens of cultures. Naturally, many disagreed. In the modern context of the time though, it created several populist groups that were challenging the status quo. Riots, and most certainly, revolution and civil war would tear the Kingdom apart."
"So, the King did the unthinkable. He recalled the text. He knew there was no way he could completely suppress the original plain language publication. He paid a very successful writer, who was very popular at the time, and a team of theologians to rewrite the holy text, and smooth out the contradictions. Then, he had that one published to wash away completely the original... It tore him apart inside. He hated it. He had betrayed every ethic and moral he ever held onto, except for one: The love of peace, and the protection of the lives of his people... I can not be angry at that man for the very difficult political decision he made. And, I suspect, those who rewrote the histories and have cause to protect the falsehoods may have very similar circumstance."
The bird still did not take his gaze off the horizon. His body was as stiff as an oak tree. An invisible weight was obviously set upon him as he was in reflection, lost in some other world. The story he intended to tell was finished, but there was something else behind it. Something he was not saying. Likely something even more dangerous or controversial. Whatever the case, the way the macaw remained still looked less like a frail old man on a cane, and more like a knight wearing invisible armor and holding his sword.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 3, 2024 4:51:28 GMT -5
The young goblin listened dutifully to the avian's story, paying rapt attention the entire time. It was clear she had her own thoughts; that much showed on her face as she listened. Nevertheless, she let the feathered man's tale be told, and when it was finally over, well... She weighed the moral of the story very carefully. She weighed, too, the avian's almost chivalrous posture, like he had some divinely granted task to defend his words. As for Tatalia... she looked pensive, the very thing that Turjin had disparaged himself for before.
"I have to disagree," the goblin said after a lengthy pause, glancing up to look Turjin in the eye. "One can find blame in such a decision, well intentioned though it may have been, because such decisions have ramifications no matter.
"My people have spent much of Charon's history treated as enemies of the state, constantly being driven out of the fertile, more resource rich territories of Charon time and time again," the goblin retorted, folding her arms over her chest. "So many times has this happened that most of us are penned up in the Marsh Flats! Those of us who aren't have to live as thieves or beggars in or around human cities; and should we gather in any great number, we become brigands in the eyes of the ruling class, vermin to be cut down." The goblin's voice took a bitter, snippy tone. "Such has been the long-standing policy of the benevolent Sun Elf Kings of yore.
"I understand your tale's intent. I believe it has merit, even," Tatalia added, her tone sincere but angry as she stood up, leaning against one of the porch's wooden pillars. "But I cannot simply be content to say that what's done was likely done with the best of intentions! What proof do we have of that? Even if one king believed he was doing what was best for his people, did he do what was best for all peoples? What of all the other kings, those not so benevolent? And if those actions led to goblins and orcs and lizardfolk being in the impoverished state we are under the auspice of the Sun Elf Imperium, does it matter in the least how awfully someone felt about leaving us in this condition? They clearly didn't worry enough to make a real effort to change this!
"No," mused the goblin, shaking her head firmly. "When it comes to history, truth is the weapon of the lower class. It is the wealthy and the powerful who would obfuscate the reality of our past, the better to mold its image to better suit their needs. I firmly believe we can only achieve a more equal world by revealing the misdeeds of those who came before us for all the world to see!"
The young, impassioned orator lowered her hand, and she heaved out a sigh. Silence fell for several moments longer, and she added a few words, more quietly and more morosely this time.
"I am not angry at you, to be clear," the goblin woman explained, reaching up to rub her forehead. "It's just-... it's a very frustrating existence to lead. I'm sure you've endured similar, yourself, being of the nomadic peoples and not of the settled folk." Tatalia offered Turjin a wan smile.
Really, the speech was as much the goblin venting as it was her making an argument. It had been a very long time since she'd spoken her mind so openly.
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 3, 2024 11:57:56 GMT -5
The bird man listened to the goblin, nodding along on occasion in agreement and looking a bit pensive at other moments, but never interrupting. He scratched the underside of his beak. There was a great deal to dissect. Society, class, kings, prejudice, all of it was certainly tied into one another, but not easily tackled together.
But, there was one point specifically that really was the stinking point. "Honesty, and truth," said the avian as if it were a mantra, "Honesty, and truth... Tell me, dear ma'am, when you have met someone new, or encountered a friend, and they do something particularly embarrassing, such as... eating poorly at a fine dinner, or say something particularly uncouth, or act out with great unbecoming emotions, are you quick to correct them? Especially those who are your friends and may rely on? Truth, very often, is a deadly poison to those around us, and a sure fire way to end up lonely. Friends are rarely keen on truth. Worse yet, when we do something similar, our friends rarely point it out for us, as they're often afraid we may becoming mean or no longer friends."
"Now, imagine, that these social errors have the lives of thousands depending upon them. That's politic, no matter the government, ideology, or power structure. It rings true in merchant houses, religious institutions, and academic fraternities all the same. Truth often, for these people in power, is a very, very, very poor tool for peace and prosperity."
Turjin didn't seem pleased to say this. He acted more as if he were reciting the way his grand parent has passed in a matter of fact way. "Now, I do not wish to seem the ally of tyranny. Let me explain: I do not love the King of that tale, quite the opposite. I despise the King. I wish him a great deal of suffering. However, the man, behind the title of King, I love, dearly. He is a pained and suffering person made to make impossible choices in a seat that rewards evil acts, and worse, punishes good. Damn the crown, damn the throne, but please forgive and protect the poor flesh and blood beneath it."
"Now, as for Mister Eldenwar Solarian, our King, for our better or worse, or his better or worse... I do not know him. Could be this whole Scern thing could be new to him as well. Could be he had no love for the lie and was totally unaware of it. Could even be that he despises the monarchy system he has found himself in charge of, and genuinely weeps for the plight of those in the marsh. However, we may never know. He is not allowed to be himself. For, if he were, I am sure we may catch him on some lake fishing for his dinner, happily, instead of sitting upon a throne having all sorts of chastisements thrown at him, held responsible for decisions thousands of years past he did not make."
He took in a deep breath and sighed again, turning to face the goblin and access her yet again. "I will tell you, a bit of a secret goal of mine. It is my intention, one day, to go to King's Valley and become involved in the politic there, and, indeed, improve the lives of those in the marsh. You may be small yourself, but you are strong, brave, and kind. You'll change the lives of many for the better. But, I would ask of you, please, do not make the lives of those seated worse. They already do not sleep well at night. Try to arbitrate, where you can... Failing that, screw 'em. Burn them down. Suffer not the villain. It is better to see a palace burn than a ghetto." There was a mean rebellious gleam in his eye at that last statement. It made the old bird appeared a bit younger, and a bit reckless.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 4, 2024 9:23:45 GMT -5
The avian scholar - Tatalia assumed he must be a scholar to be as well spoken as he was - presented to his goblin counterpart a clear and detailed series of arguments. His points were... well, they were valid, and Tatalia heard them out with a serious expression.
On a basic level, she actually agreed about white lies. Tatalia didn't exactly employ perfect honesty in everything in her daily life. She lied by omission, such as conveniently forgetting to mention the peculiar curse she dealt with; she lied to make others feel better; she lied to slip past guards; she was even wearing a disguise at this very moment so others wouldn't know she was a goblin. That she was also a thief by trade - she didn't admit it publicly often, but it was true - didn't exactly make her the picture of truth and justice.
But when it came to the big things, that was a different story. The young goblin weighed what the feathered man told her, and she replied by standing up from her seat, sighing, and pulling her arms behind her back.
"I'm not naive, sir," the goblin remarked in a serious tone, flicking a goggled gaze toward the distant skylines of the city. "I know well the value of deception. I am not suggesting that we abandon its use. I am suggesting that history is too powerful to be allowed to be a tool of deception, that it is too important to be obfuscated for someone's ill gains. The truth will free us, because history was always meant to be true. Perhaps I might even call it sacrosanct. I believe anything that shapes the lives of so many must be shown in the purest light, unblemished by the whims of those who would cast it into darkness."
Tatalia's expression softened. She cast her gaze back toward the parrot-like avian and offered a slight smile.
"We agree on one thing for sure, though. It is best that if the truth is made clear that it be invoked without inciting bloodshed." The goblin glanced down at her feet, and she admitted quietly, "I've seen and been a part of too much violence to wish it on anyone. No, I think we need change, but... I want that change to be brought about peacefully. I don't want any more blood on my hands."
Truthfully, the goblin thought that blood getting on her hands was unavoidable in her line of work, but she didn't mention that. She meant what she said. She didn't want to take another life if there was a better way.
"I think you should pursue that dream of yours," she added sincerely, looking back up at the not-a-physician. "You're learned and wise in your own way, even if we disagree on some particular points. More important, you seem earnest. I think you're the sort of person who could be a leader if given the chance, Mr..."
Tatalia blinked. She looked incredibly embarrassed again as she smacked herself in the forehead and groaned.
"I forgot to ask your name!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking. "Why, yes, I remembered to say mine like some self-centered egoist, but I never bothered to ask for your name! Please, forgive my rudeness!"
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 4, 2024 11:56:05 GMT -5
The aviankin nodded along approvingly to the small creature as he listened to her well thought and explained response, at least to his perception. "You're excited for change, as are most who are..." The macaw-man paused and said something in his native squawking bird language, turning over a hand over and over, trying to find the right word. "...'Disenfranchised'? Pushed aside? Ahhh... Wrongfully abused or ignored by the... status quo?" He tapped the underside of his beak, trying to recall the right word, but it just didn't seem to come to him. He tapped his cane. "Ah, you know what I mean. There are many who, by no desire, but from a lack of options, are rebellious."
He raised a finger on that point, moving further with his statement, "-But! I would suggest this: Change is terrifying. It's scary for everyone involved. Even something as small as a change in hair cut can be the highest expression of bravery for many people. Change, small or big, scares people, and it typically unpredictable. Change is necessary, change is inevitable, but you will find a great deal of opposition. Don't let it dishearten you, and don't let people's first reaction to 'change' drive you to judge them as bad or ugly... They're just frightened. Give them time, gently usher them, and you will find their better angels, I guarantee. At least, that's my experience." The bird stood straight at that, a bit self satisfied and smug. Though it was unbecoming, he seemed not to realize it.
In his smugness and then paused, realizing he hadn't given his name. The bird crumpled in unabashed shame. "I am so sorry! I can't believe I forgot! Oh, what you must think of me-- Please, my name is Turjin Falagar." He started to offer his hand, then withdrew and rolled his wrist and elbow a few times, strengthening and bracing himself, before offering it out to the goblin once again. "It is an absolute pleasure to meet you--" The bird paused, like a mouse that is in the open and just spotted a cat. His eyes widened as his mind raced before blurting out, "Tatalia! Right! Sorry, sorry, I have such a terrible mind for names and dates. Which is rather unfortunate for an academic, but I trudge on." The bird had gone as quickly from smug to embarrassed as quickly as a bird takes flight.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 4, 2024 12:51:35 GMT -5
"N-no, no! Don't be ashamed of the lapse in memory!" the goblin replied, laughing and rubbing the back of her neck. "Plenty of esteemed scholars have difficulty with dates and names! Plenty! It does not diminish your better qualities whatsoever!"
The mistakes on the part of both parties led to a break in the tension that made the conversation a hundred times lighter. Tatalia just kept chuckling as she stood there, rubbing her forehead and wondering how the conversation had gone the way it had. Hadn't he - hadn't Turjin asked about why she was adventuring? Wasn't that how it all started?
Nevertheless, Tatalia reached out to take the macaw man's hand and give it a good shake, grinning beneath her concealing scarf all the while. It took a few seconds for the handshake to start, but better late than never!
"This meeting has definitely been a pleasure! I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Mr. Falagar." The goblin withdrew her hand, then held it with a single finger upraised. "What do you say say we go find that library? I'm actually planning to pay the place a visit, myself. It should be right about..."
Tatalia glanced away from the avian and peered off to the side. She listened carefully for a few brief seconds, then pointed confidently to the south-east.
"That way!" she insisted. "Come! I'll walk you over there, and maybe we can talk about that political career of yours? Our regions are aligned, you know. What's good for King's Valley is good for the Marsh Flats!"
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Adventurer
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Post by Turjin Falagar on Jan 4, 2024 18:07:22 GMT -5
The avian chuckled at himself, all too happy to find the agreeable company of the goblin. "Certainly, of course." He pressed his cane's tip into the ground and forced himself to rise with a small groan. He took a deep breath, and performed a quick Meditate before looking toward the direction the goblin pointed. "Lead on, I'll be just behind you." Truthfully, he was being a bit slow in step. The seat hadn't been kind to his nerves and he had to re-find his legs.
With the slow tap of his cane, he nodded his head in agreement. "Politics, Marsh Flats and King's Valley." He gave a little bird whistle, taking in a deep breath. "Both are rather anarchistic in their politics, but in different ways, and in starkly different cultures. Both value their independence and confederacy deeply, yet both are eager to cooperate, so much so as they're the most recognizable and closely tied alliance in Charon, I dare say. Both are very, very, very fertile lands that provide an abundance of opportunity for agriculture, but both offer incredibly starkly different methods of agriculture. What works for one almost certainly will not work for the other. And this rings true of all industries, infrastructure projects-- everything."
He chuckled quietly to himself, shaking his head lightly. "Uniquely to Charon... if one region succeeds, it is often interpreted as a loss to all the other regions. They're grossly competitive, except for the relation between our two regions. The Marsh's success is appreciated as success to the Valley, and the Valley's success is appreciated as success to the Marsh... And, they both are hosts to very hardy populations. I dare say, the real struggles of our regions are external." At that statement, the bird clicked his tongue at himself.
"Which, I think, is very, very, very unfortunate. It leads to a... isolationist and insular sort of politic. There are solutions, but... Nothing that could be done in a quick turn about short term. Right now that insular politic may actually be very beneficial. The leaders our regions are tentative, and the administration ineffectual. There needs to be a greater consensus among the populace. A sort of... zeitgeist motivated by a milieu of cooperation. One that has to come from the citizens, or at the very least influential persons in the regions, not the seated leaders. They're... caught up in things. Their seats of power have become chains that limit their movement, by the design of royal court. They need to be freed up to act."
Then he shook his head a little and waved his hand. "But, that's all... hypotheticals and far futures. The nature of politics changes moment to moment. What's good right now could be completely opposite five minutes later. You know my goal, Miss Tatalia, and I know you mean to be an adventurer... But to what ends? To whose benefit? What sort of world do you want to be part in building?"
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